With memories of the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria still fresh in the minds of US consumers, residents of South and North Carolina are taking zero chances as Hurricane Florence - now a Category 4 storm - barrels toward the eastern seaboard. According to local media reports, store shelves have been cleared of vital supplies like bottled water and food as anxious southerners brace for the worst-case scenario.

Shelves at Wal-Marts in North Carolina and South Carolina had been cleared out by Sunday evening, forcing the stores to frantically restock shelves as residents loaded up on everything from water to plywood to generators, per WGN9. Flashlights and batteries also flew off the shelves.

Photos of empty store shelves in South Carolina were circulating on social media, the State newspaper reported.

The pictures of vacant grocery store aisles are flooding social media. They show the places in supermarkets that are normally filled with pallets of bottled water and bread, among other supplies. They are being purchased in preparation for Florence, which is expected to be a "dangerous major hurricane," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster warned residents to prepare for the worst-case scenario. At a Sunday news conference, McMaster said "presume that a major hurricane is going to hit South Carolina. Be prepared. Be ready." North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper also urged residents in vulnerable areas to be prepared, noting that the storm is expected to generate massive waves and destructive winds. Currently, the storm winds have clocked in at 115 mph.

On social media, one user compared the pre-hurricane run to preparations for a "zombie apocalypse."

Went to Walmart today to stock up on supplies for #Florence, they had already run out of water hours before. I grabbed all other #essentials I could think of, including yoga pants and wine. At least I'll be comfy, happy, and tipsy.

NEW: Florence is now a category 4 hurricane. Data from a NOAA Hurricane Hunter indicate that Florence has continued to rapidly strengthen and has maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 946 mb (27.93 inches) https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFbpic.twitter.com/wfLt6fJPl2

Meanwhile, shares of Generac Holdings Inc, building materials maker Owens Corning and roofing-supplies company Beacon Roofing Supply Inc rallied and retailers like Lowe's and Home Depot also climbed.

While the East Coast braces for landfall, meteorologists warn that this could only be the beginning of the region's troubles during this year's hurricane season. As the National Hurricane Center warned this morning, there are three hurricanes and a tropical storm already fully-formed over the Atlantic, while a tropical depression is presently forming over the northwest Caribbean.

As the timetable for the storm's impact continues to creep forward, North Carolina officials ordered residents to evacuate from the state’s Outer Banks barrier islands beginning on Monday ahead of Hurricane Florence, Reuters reported.